Waibel
high pressure valve assembly



Nov. 9, 1965 A. J. WAIBEL Re. 25,899

HIGH PRESSURE VALVE ASSEMBLY Original Filed June 27. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR ANTHONY .WA/BEL HIS A ORNEY Nov. 9, 1965 A. J. WAIBEL Re.25,899

HIGH PRESSURE VALVE ASSEMBLY Original Filed June 2'7, 1960 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AN THON) J. WA/BEL \fik HIS A TORNEY Nov. 9,1965 A. J. WAIBEL HIGH PRESSURE VALVE ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 OriginalFiled June 27, 1960 INVENTOR ANTHONY .WA/BEL HIS T RN Y Nov. 9, 1965 A.J. WAIBEL HIGH PRESSURE VALVE ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original FiledJune 27. 1960 FIG. 8

Y J. WA/BEL INVENTOR ANTHON O NEY United States Patent 25,899 HIGHPRESSURE VALVE ASSEMBLY Anthony J. Waibel, Painted Post, N.Y., assignorto Ingersoll-Rand Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New JerseyOriginal No. 3,077,899, dated Feb. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 38,814, June 27,1960. Application for reissue Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 454,227

11 Claims. (Cl. 137--5l2) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears inthe original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification;matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This is a reissue application of US. Patent No. 3,077,- 899, issued toA. J. Waibel on February 19, 1963. This invention relates to valveassemblies and more particularly to a high pressure valve assembly forcompressors or the like and used for the control of the flow of a fluidunder substantially high pressure.

In a high pressure valve assembly the material of the components throughwhich fluid under high pressure is conducted is subjected to repeatedstresses of high magnitude with each revolution of the compressor.

In the commonly known types of high pressure valve assemblies thestructure is such that the high pressure discharge is conducted throughthe central portion of the assembly while the lower pressure inlet isconducted through the side of the assembly, causing the assembly to besubjected to internal pressure, resulting in tension of the material. ofthe material when the pressure differential between the discharge andthe inlet is substantial.

When comparing the valve assembly with a hollow cylinder, it is commonlyknown that such a cylinder can withstand a higher external pressure thaninternal pressure before material failure. In view thereof the presentinvention provides a high pressure valve assembly in which thecomponents of the assembly, through which fluid under high pressure isconducted, is subjected to compression as a result of external pressureto increase the life of the assembly and to eliminate the causes ofmaterial failure.

The valve assembly includes a portion having passages for conducting thefluid to be compressed as well as the fluid after compression. As iscommon in reciprocating compressors, the pressure of the fluid insections of these passages, the section downstream of the inlet valve,and the section upstream of the discharge valve, fluctuates from theinlet pressure to the pressure of the fluid after compression, thedischarge pressure. the pressure in the aforementioned sections willoccur repeatedly with each stroke of the compressor piston. When noexternal pressure is applied to the exterior of that portion of thevalve body through which the fluid of fluctuating pressure is conducted,the material of the said portion of the valve body will be subjected torepeated fluctuating tensile stresses and will fail within a relativelyshort time because of material failure in tension. When, however, anexternal pressure is applied to the said portion of the valve body, thetensile stresses in the material of the said portion of the valve bodywill be reduced, and if the force of the external pressure exerted onthe exterior of the said portion of the valve body is made as great asor greater than the forces exerted on the interior of the said valvebody, the tensile stresses in the material of the said portion of thevalve body will be eliminated and the said portion of the valve bodywill be subjected to a balanced or compressive force, respectively.

An object of this invention is to provide a high pressure valve assemblyof simplified structure as compared to the presently known high pressurevalve assemblies.

This leads to early fatigue and failure This fluctuation of Re. 25,899Reissuecl Nov. 9, 1965 Another object of this invention is to provide ahigh pressure valve assembly in which the causes of failure and fatigueof the material are eliminated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a high pressurevalve assembly in which the life of the valve assembly is substantiallyincreased.

Another object of this invention is to provide a high pressure valveassembly of such structure that will facilitate maintenance procedures.

A further object of this invention is to provide a high pressure valveassembly in which the inlet as well as the discharge is housed in asingle unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a high pressure valveassembly which is strong, reliable and effective.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description andaccompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention and in which similar numerals refer to similar parts.

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment ofthe valve assembly according to this invention.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are cross sectional views of FIG. 1 taken along thelines 22, 3-3 and 44, respectively, looking in the direction of thearrows.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of thevalve assembly according to this invention.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are cross sectional views of FIG. 5 taken along thelines 6-6, 7-7 and 88, respectively, looking in the direction of thearrows.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate apreferred embodiment of the invention in which 10 designates a highpressure compressor (partly shown) having a piston 12 (partly shown)reciprocating in a cylinder bore 14 of a cylinder 16 (partly shown).

Connected to the end of the cylinder 16 is provided the valve assemblyaccording to this invention comprising an element 18 having acylindrical bore 20 and a passage 22 laterally extending from the innerperiphery of bore 20 through the wall of element 18. Passage 22 servesas a discharge passage for the conductance of fluid compressed in thecompressor as will appear hereinafter.

Within the bore 20 are slidably disposed cylindrical members 24, 26 and28, and the end portion of an inlet member 32. The ends of the members24, 26 and 28 are metal ground and sealingly abut each other, themembers 24, 26 and 28 being clamped tightly between the inlet member endportion 30 and the cylinder 16 in a commonly known manner.

The inlet member 32 is provided with a centrally positioned longitudinalinlet passage 34 which is in communication with the cylinder bore 14through passages 36, 38 and 40 centrally extending through the members28, 26 and 24, respectively.

The passage 40 includes a recess 42 formed at the end of member 24abutting the member 26, the recess 42 being adapted to house a valve 44of a commonly known disc type. The valve 44 serves as a check valve topermit fiow of fluid from the inlet passage 34 into the cylinder bore14, but preventing return flow of such fluid from the cylinder bore 14into inlet passage 34. Accordingly, valve 44 seats on a valve seat 46positioned on the end surface of the seat member 26 abutting the member24, the valve 44 being constantly urged onto the valve seat 46 by aspring 48 positioned in a spring chamber 50 which is also a portion ofthe passage 40.

Communication is formed between the cylinder bore 14 and the dischargepassage 22 through a passage 52 in member 24, a passage 54 in member 26,a passage 56 and an annular peripheral undercut 58, both in member 28.The passages 52, 54 and 56, see FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, are formed by aplurality of passages positioned radially displaced from the centralpassages 40, 38 and 36, respectively. The passage 56 includes aring-shaped recess 60 formed at the end of member 28 abutting the member26, the recess 60 being adapted to house a valve 62 of a commonly knownring type. The valve 62 serves as a check valve to permit flow of fluidfrom the cylinder bore 14 into the discharge passage 22, but preventingreturn flow of fluid from discharge passage 22 into cylinder bore 14.Accordingly, valve 62 seats on a valve seat 64 positioned on the endsurface of the seat member 26 abutting the member 28, valve 62 beingconstantly urged onto valve seat 64 by a spring 66 positioned in recess60.

It is to be noted that recess 42 is in communication with passages 52and 54 through an annular recess 68, the purpose thereof to appearhereinafter.

Referring now to the operation of the valve assembly according to thisinvention, when piston 12 is reciprocated, fluid to be compressed isadmitted from inlet passage 34 into the cylinder bore 14 and compressedtherein, whereafter the compressed fluid is discharged through dischargepassage 22. The suction stroke of piston 12 causes valve 44 to open,permitting fluid to flow from inlet passage 34 through passages 36, 38and 40 into cylinder bore 14. The inlet fluid can also flow from passage38 into recess 68 and passage 52 into cylinder bore 14. After the fluidis compressed by piston 12 on its compression stroke, the fluid flowsthrough passages 52 and 54, forcing valve 62 to open, whereafter thefluid flows into recess 60, passage 56, undercut 58 and into dischargepassage 22. It is to be noted that passage 40, communicating cylinderbore 14 with recess 42, serves to permit inlet fluid to flow frompassage 38 into cylinder bore 14 at the suction stroke of piston 12, andalso, to insure that the discharge fluid will force valve 44 into closedposition at the compression stroke of piston 12.

As the members 24, 26 and 28 are slidably disposed in bore of element18, the discharge fluid in the peripheral undercut 58 is permitted toflow into the clearance between the outer periphery of the members 24,26 and 28 and the inner periphery of bore 20 to exert a pressure on theexterior of the members 24, 26 and 28 equal to the discharge pressure.

The total force of the discharge fluid exerted on the outer periphery ofmembers 24, 26 and 28 being substantially greater than the total forceof the inlet and discharge fluid in the central portion of the members24, 26 and 28 during the suction stroke as well as during thecompression stroke of piston 12 causes the members 24, 26 and 28 to besubjected to external pressure whenever the compressor is in operation,a distinct feature of this invention as hereinbefore explained.

Another feature of this invention is the arrangement of the members 24,26 and 28 With respect to the location of the valve seats 64 and 46. Itis to be observed that both valve seats 64 and 46 are positioned at theends of only one member, of seat member 26, the advantages of thisarrangement being a simplification of manufacturing the assembly andsimplification of maintenance procedures in cases of reconditioning orreplacement of the components of the valve assembly.

Yet another feature of this invention, the arrangement of the inletpassage relative to the discharge passage to achieve the externalpressure feature, is that whenever it is required to disassemble thevalve assembly, the discharge line connection (not shown) to thedischarge passage 22 can remain undisturbed, eliminating the risks ofleakage at reassembly of such discharge line connection.

Another embodiment of the valve assembly according to this invention isillustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 in which 100 designates a highpressure compressor (partly shown) having a piston 102 (partly shown)reciprocating in a cylinder bore 104 of a cylinder 106 (partly shown).An element 108, connected to the end of cylinder 106, is provided with acylindrical bore 110 and a passage 112 laterally extending from theinner periphery of bore 110 through the wall of element 108. Passage 112serves as a discharge passage for the conductance of fluid compressed inthe compressor as will appear hereinafter.

Within the bore 110 are slidably disposed cylindrical members 114, 116and 118, and the end portion of an inlet member 122. The ends of themembers 114, 116 and 118 are metal ground and sealingly abut each other,the members 114, 116 and 118 being clamped tightly between the inletmember end portion 120 and the cylinder 106.

The inlet member 122 is provided with a centrally positionedlongitudinal inlet passage 124 which is in communication with thecylinder bore 104 through passages 126, 128 and 130 centrally extendingthrough the members 118, 116 and 114, respectively. Passage 126, seeFIG. 8, is formed by a plurality of passages arranged radially displacedrelative to passages 124 and 128.

The passage 128 includes a recess 132 formed at the end of member 116abutting the member 118, the recess 132 adapted to house a valve 134 ofa commonly known ring type. The valve 134 serves as a check valve topermit flow of. fluid from the inlet passage 124 into the cylinder bore104, but preventing return flow of such fluid from the cylinder bore 104into inlet passage 124. Accordingly, valve 134 seats on a valve seat 136positioned on the end surface of member 118 abutting member 116, thevalve 134 being constantly urged onto valve seat 136 by a spring 138positioned in the recess 132.

Communication is formed between the cylinder bore 104 and dischargepassage 112 through a passage 142 in member 114, a passage 144 in member116, and an annular peripheral undercut 148 also in member 116. Passages142 and 144, see FIGS. 6 and 7, are formed by a plurality of passagesarranged radially displaced from the central passages 130 and 128,respectively. The passage 144 includes a recess 150 formed at the end ofmember 116 abutting member 114, the recess 150 adapted to house a valve152 of a commonly known ring type. The valve 152 serves as a check valveto permit flow of fluid from the cylinder bore 104 into dischargepassage 112, but preventing return flow of fluid from discharge passage112 into cylinder bore 104. Accordingly, valve 152 seats on a valve seat154 positioned on the end surface of member 114 abutting the member 116,valve 152 being constantly urged onto valve seat 154 by a spring 156positioned in recess 150.

Referring now to the operation of the valve assembly, the suction strokeof piston 102 causes valve 134 to open, permitting fluid to flow frominlet passage 124 through passages 126, 128 and 130 into cylinder bore104. After the fluid is compressed by piston 102, the fluid flowsthrough passage 142 forcing valve 152 to open and continues flowing intorecess 150, through passage 144, undercut 148 and into discharge passage112.

It is to be observed that with the structure of this embodiment of thevalve assembly as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the arrangement of theconductance of the inlet and discharge fluid will permit the dischargefluid in the peripheral undercut 148 to flow into the clearance betweenthe outer periphery of the members 114, 11.6 and 118 and the innerperiphery of bore 110, with the result as explained in connection withthe embodiment of the valve assembly shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4: Avalve assembly with the distinctive feature of being subjected toexternal pressure.

While I have shown and described specific forms of my invention, it isto be understood that various changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly comprising, an element having a bore therethrough, afirst closure for one end of said bore having a passage extendinglongitudinally therethrough, a second closure for the other end of saidbore having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, a seatmember disposed in said bore having one end defining a first valve seatand the other end defining a second valve seat, a first member disposedin said bore positioned sealingly abutting between said first closureand said seat tioned sealingly abutting between said second closure andmember, a second member disposed in said bore posisaid seat member, saidmembers being disposed in said bore in close spaced relationship to thesurface of said bore and cooperating with each other to define a valvebody positioned within said bore, a first passage through said memberspositioned for communicating the passage in said first closure with thepassage in said second closure, a first recess formed between theabutting ends of said second member and said seat member at said secondvalve seat positioned to form a portion of said first passage, a passagein said element extending from the inner periphery of said bore at theside of one of said members, a second passage through at least one ofsaid members positioned for communicating said passage in said elementwith said passage in said second closure, a second recess formed betweenthe abutting ends of said first member and said seat member at saidfirst valve seat positioned to form a portion of said second passage, afirst check valve positioned within said valve body and in said firstrecess adapted to seat on said second valve seat to permit flow of fluidfrom said first closure passage into said second closure passage and toprevent return flow of fluid from said second closure passage into saidfirst closure passage, and a second check valve positioned within saidvalve body and in said second recess to seat on said first valve seat topermit flow of fluid from said second closure passage into said passagein said element and to prevent return flow of fluid from said passage insaid element into said second closure passage.

2. The valve assembly claimed in claim 1 in which said first passage ispositioned axially of said members, and said second passage comprises aplurality of passages positioned radially displaced from said firstpassage.

3. The valve assembly claimed in claim 1 in which said first valve is ofa ring type, said second valve being of a disc type.

4. A valve assembly comprising, an element having a bore therethrough, afirst closure for one end of said bore having a passage extendinglongitudinally therethrough, a second closure for the other end of saidbore having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, a firstseat member disposed in said bore having one end sealingly abutting saidfirst closure and the other end provided with a first valve seat, asecond seat member disposed in said bore having one end sealinglyabutting said second closure and the other end provided with a secondvalve seat, an intermediate member disposed in said bore positionedsealingly abutting between said seat members having its ends cooperatingwith the associated ends of said seat members to form a first recess atsaid first valve seat and a second recess at said second valve seat,said members being disposed in said bore in close spaced relationship tothe surface of said bore and cooperating with each other to define avalve body positioned within said bore, a first passage through saidmembers positioned for communicating the passage in said first closurewith the passage in said second closure, a passage in said elementextending from the inner periphery of said bore at the side of one ofsaid members, a second passage through at least one of said memberspositioned for communicating the passage in said element with thepassage in said second closure, said first recess positioned to form aportion of said first passage, said second recess positioned to form aportion of said second passage, a first check valve positioned withinsaid valve body and in said first recess of said first passage forseating on said first valve seat to permit flow of fluid from said firstclosure passage into said second closure passage and to prevent returnflow of fluid from said second closure passage into said first closurepassage, and a second check valve positioned within said valve body andin said second recess of said second passage for seating on said secondvalve seat to permit flow of fluid from said second closure passage intosaid passage in said element and to prevent return flow of fluid fromsaid passage in said element into said second closure passage.

5. The valve assembly claimed in claim 4 in which the portion of saidfirst passage in said second member and said intermediate member ispositioned axially of said second member and said intermediate member,the portion of said first passage in said first member being a pluralityof passages positioned radially displaced from the axis of said firstmember, the portion of said second passage in said second member andsaid intermediate member being a plurality of passages positionedradially displaced from said first passage in said second member andsaid intermediate member.

6. The valve assembly claimed in claim 4 in which said first and secondvalves are of a ring type.

7. A valve assembly comprising, a casing having a bore therethrough, afirst closure for one end of said bore [having a passage leading fromsaid bore for the conductance of fluid], a second closure for the otherend of said bore having a passage leading from said bore for theconductance of fluid, a valve body disposed in said bore positioned inabutment against said first closure and said second closure to preventlongitudinal movement of said valve body in said bore, [said valve bodyhaving its entire outer periphery cooperating with the associatedsurface of said bore to define a close space between the valve body andthe surface of said bore,] a discharge passage in the casing wallextending from said bore at the side of said valve body, a first passagein said valve body positioned to conduct fluid [from said passage insaid first closure] to said passage in said second closure, a firstvalve seat formed in said first passage wholly within said valve body, afirst valve positioned wholly within said valve body and cooperatingwith said first valve seat to control the flow of fluid through saidfirst passage, a second passage in said valve body positioned to conductfluid from said passage in said second closure to said discharge[conduit] passage, a second valve seat formed in said second passagewholly within said valve body, a second valve positioned wholly withinsaid valve body and cooperating with said second valve seat to controlthe How of fluid through said second passage, said valve body having itsouter periphery cooperating with the associated surface of said bore todefine a close space between the valve body and the surface of saidbore, said space surrounding at least that portion of the valve bodycontaining said first and said second passages, said second passagebeing in communication with the [entire] space between the valve bodyand the surface of said bore downstream from said second valve withrespect to the flow of fluid to receive discharge fluid so as toconstantly subject the entire outer periphery of said portion of saidvalve body to the pressure of the fluid in the portion of said second[conduit] passage downstream of said second valve.

8. The device claimed in claim 7 in which said valve body is positionedin said bore in sealing abutment with said first closure and said secondclosure.

9. A high pressure valve assembly for a reciprocating compressor,comprising a casing having a bore, a valve body disposed in said bore,an inlet passage within said body running generally longitudinally ofsaid body for the passage of fluid to the compressor, a dischargepassage in said body running generally longitudinally of said body forthe passage of fluid discharged from the compressor, an inlet valvepositioned wholly within said body and within said inlet passage forcontrolling the flow of gas under pressure into the compressor, adischarge valve located wholly within said body and within saiddischarge passage for controlling the flow of fluid discharged from thecompressor, the external surface of said body and the internal surfaceof the bore of said casing being such that a confined space is formedencircling the portion of said body confining the sections of saidpassages containing fluid subject to cyclic pressure of discharge of thecompressor, and means for supplying to said space fluid under pressuresufficient to maintain such portion of the body in compression at alltimes.

10. The valve assembly claimed in claim 9 in which said means comprisesa passage leading to said chamber from the discharge passage at a pointdownstream of said discharge valve.

11. A high pressure valve assembly for a reciprocating compressor,comprising a casing having a bore, a valve body disposed in said bore,an inlet passage within said body running generally longitudinally ofsaid body for the passage of fluid to the compressor, a dischargepassage in said body running generally longitudinally of said body forthe passage of fluid discharged from the compressor, a discharge valvepositioned wholly within said body and within said discharge passage forcontrolling the flow of gas under pressure from the compressor, saidbody and the bore of said casing being formed to provide a pressurechamber overlying the entire periphery of the portion of said bodycontaining the section of said discharge passage which is upstream ofsaid discharge valve, and means for supplying fluid under pressure tosaid cham ber suflicient to prevent substantially the material of saidbody portion from being subjected to a tensile stress re sulting frompressure in such section of the discharge passage.

References Cited by the Examiner The following references, cited by theExaminer, are

of record in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS France. 2/92 Great Britain.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

ALLEN I. JAFFE, Examiner.

